Squantum NAS – January 15, 1944

April 16, 2019

Squantum Naval Air Station – January 15, 1944

OS2U Kingfisher without float
U. S. Navy Photo

On January 15, 1944, a flight of U. S. Navy OS2U Kingfisher aircraft were returning to the Squantum Naval Air Station after an anti-submarine patrol. The pilot of one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 5564), was allowed to make a touch-and-go landing at an auxiliary air field located near the tip of Cape Cod so as to familiarize himself with the field. When the aircraft touched down, the left wheel hit a rut which damaged the left wheel strut of the landing gear. The pilot was able to keep the aircraft airborne and advised his flight leader of the situation. The flight leader then flew near #5564 and viewed the damage from his aircraft, and advised the pilot to jettison his bombs. (This was done three miles off Brant Rock.) Afterwards the damaged aircraft continued to the Squantum NAS where preparations were made for an emergency landing. When the pilot landed at Squantum the left landing gear collapsed and the plane ground-looped. The aircraft required extensive repairs, but the pilot was not hurt.

This same aircraft had been involved in another accident a year earlier. On January 10, 1943, the aircraft’s landing gear collapsed after a hard landing. There were no injuries.